Sometimes money is the cheapest way out
My coach made this statement to me earlier this week. It's a statement I couldn't agree with more when it comes to hiring a caterer. A few years back someone I know well (who shall remain nameless!) had a big bash to celebrate her 50th birthday. She was trying to save money, so decided to do the work herself. She selected a great menu (she is a great cook), planned her shopping and prep work, shopped for a couple of days, cooked for a couple of days, pulled out all her serving platters, bowls and utensils, and decorated her buffet table. And then, of course, she had to clean her kitchen before her guests showed up, since we all know guests always like to hang out in the kitchen. Especially when the hostess is still doing last minute cooking when her guests show up. She was at least smart enough to hire a helper to be there at the time of the party. The night before the party the hostess/honoree tossed and turned in her sleep being overtired and concerned about everything going well. She hadn't spent time deciding what she was going to wear at the party, and still wasn't quite dressed before the first few guests started showing up, and she didn't have time to fix her hair the way she would have liked. While her guest all heartily enjoyed her party, she was pretty exhausted through it all. Her helper had kept the kitchen clean during the party, and was able to wash many of the platters and serving dishes, but when she woke up the next morning, she still had to pack them, along with all the table cloths, away again. Later that day she had to return the items she had rented. A couple of years later, I catered a 50th birthday party for a client. I met her at her home a couple of weeks before her party. Together we walked through her home and yard, decided where we would place buffet and guests tables. I was able to see what her decorative sense was. It was clear that she loved lots of color, so I made a point of bringing brightly colored fabrics to drape her buffet table. On the day of her party, my staff and I arrived a couple of hours before her guests were scheduled to arrive. She let us in, said hello to everyone, then disappeared into her private quarters from which she emerged an hour or so later looking fabulous- coiffed, made-up and dressed to kill. She greeted her guests in a relaxed manner and partied hard all night long. My staff greeted her guests as soon as they arrived with drinks, passed hors d'oeuvre and at the appropriate time, a beautifully appointed buffet. At the end of the night, when my staff and I had put away the leftover food, packed up all the serving pieces I had brought, we stopped off to say goodbye to my client, who was still enjoying drinks with her last few guests. I'm sure she slept in the next morning. The contrast between these two provided a stark lesson for me. While it certainly cost more to hire a caterer, isn't it nice to really be able to enjoy your...
read moreMore Advantages to Booking your Holiday Party Early
The first and second weekends of December are prime time for holiday parties. Everybody in town will be busy. This includes not only your primary contractor, i.e. hotel, restaurant, caterer, but sub- contractors (ie. rental companies, food purveyors, florists, servers, etc),as well. Most servers, for example, are independent contractors, with many of them working with several different establishments. When they get booked for those hot dates, it lessens the available pool. You will have someone serving your function, but it’s likely the most seasoned service staff will be booked early. And usually at some point, the top rental companies will close their reservations for the busiest dates. And here's an important point- a caterer or sales person will be able to give more of their time if you call a month or two early rather than in December. So, if you are thinking about a holiday party and want to make sure you receive the attention you deserve, the key word is...
read moreIt’s TIme to Book Your Holiday Party
I know, I know, you’ve just got the kids off to school, and you’ve just recovered from a sweltering heat wave (at least here in Southern California). The election is dominating all the news, and God! don't you just wish it were all over now. You know the holidays are coming soon, but you just don't want to think about that now. But once again, here’s a reminder that everyone wants those prime weekend dates in early to mid-December. And when that election is finally over the phones are going to start ringing. So if you think you might do any holiday entertaining and you haven’t started planning yet, it's time to think about giving your caterer a...
read moreComfort Food Buffets for the Holidays
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above gold, it would be a merrier world.” J.R.R. Tolkien Now there’s something we sorely need reminding of at this moment in history. Okay- so, yes, we need some gold , too in this life, and everyone’s concerned about their shekels right now. But in spite of what the stock market, the banks, and the Treasury Secretary et al are doing, we still have holiday entertaining and celebrating to do. So the line of attack is to strategize how to create the best value for your money when it comes to holiday parties. I’ve heard news reports recently that sales of comfort foods are up. A holiday buffet full of comfort foods sounds just perfect for these challenging times- a feast of meatloaf with mac and cheese, roast turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy, fried catfish, hush puppies and greens- yum! After all, the comfort foods of many cultures have gone on to be universally loved culinary delights. We all have a soft spot for those certain foods, and we could certainly use a little comfort right now. I’d love to hear what your favorite comfort foods are, so leave me a comment. Macaroni and Cheese Save Save...
read moreThoughts on Food and Dining
Leah Chase, the co-owner and chef of Dooky Chase’s restaurant in New Orleans, said in a post-Katrina interview, “Food is like a healer to us. And when we give it to you, we feel like we're doing some great.” How simple and wise. I was questioned today on my thoughts about food, and what it was that I thought I had to share that was special. As I wrote, I found myself getting more and more excited. I would like to share a bit of what I wrote with you. “I believe food has the power to heal, not just our physical bodies, but our psyches, our spirits. I believe strongly, that food, and the coming together to partake of food as a social act, greatly enhances our lives. I believe that this is an important message, that I have chosen (and which has chosen me) to deliver through my work and life.” It's a message sorely needed for our times. Bon Appetit! Gisele...
read moreCreative Menus for Tough Times
Speaking of the current economic climate, my latest issue of "Biz Bash" magazine (a trade publication for event professionals) featured an article titled "New Takes on an Old Bird"- a response, obviously, to the tough times we're in. While only a year ago, catering publications were touting a return to beef, the times now demand a new look at chicken. The article showcased "budget-friendly" chicken dinners created by several caterers. Now I know we all tend to think of the old moniker "rubber chicken" when we think of catered meals featuring the bird, but I, too, maintain that it's possible to have a great chicken entree. The menus items featured included Chicken Breast with Apricot and Cornbread Stuffing served with an Ice Wine and Apricot Sauce; Sous Vide Chicken Leg Stuffed with Mushroom Mousse served with Spinach, Chanterelles and Fried Parsnip Chips and a Panko-Crusted Chicken Roulade with Porcini Red Wine Jus. I have found that stuffing chicken breasts, rolling them into roulades and using the dark meat of chicken, offer very interesting methods for a tasty chicken dish. Stuffing helps maintain moisture as well as add flavor, and the dark meat is just naturally more tasty and moist. An old favorite of mine is a Spinach Stuffed Breast of Chicken served with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce and a new favorite is Mustard and Shallot Crusted Chicken Thighs served on Braised Leeks, a recipe adapted from Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table . I also love making roulades from turkey breasts- Herb and Prosciutto Stuffed Turkey Breast Roulades served with Roasted Garlic Sauce and Shiitake Mushroom Stuffed Turkey Breast Roulades with Wild Mushroom Sauce are two of my favorites. Clients who are serving a smaller number of guests at Thanksgiving love the roulades, finding them just the right size. They also appreciate that they are easy to slice, hence bypassing the whole carving issue. Here's a pic of the sliced turkey breast below served with a Sweet Potato Puree with Pecan Praline Topping. Really yummy! More value friendly menu ideas coming up later this week. Bon...
read moreCatered Parties in this Current Economic Climate ?
All the news these past couple of weeks has been about the economic mess we find ourselves in right now. That situation, on top of the election cycle we are in, is cause for a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. As I was faced with putting out a newsletter to my client list this past week, I wondered what I could possibly say that would be pertinent. The holidays are coming and traditionally this is the time to book those parties. But who’s thinking about throwing a catered party, right now, with such other pressing matters on their minds, I asked myself? By the way, it turns out people are still entertaining. I had a pretty busy September. I thought back to one of my favorite quotes- a quote from the immortal and irrepressible Julia Child- which I have often used when speaking before groups. "Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal". Wise words indeed! This crisis, too, shall pass. What’s important in life is those beloved family and friends. And still during times like these-maybe especially during times like these, it’s important to gather together and dine with our loved ones. After all, Julia Child developed her culinary and hostessing skills during post World War II Europe- certainly a challenging...
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